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Mac App Store Now Offering Re-Buy Warnings for Apps Purchased Elsewhere

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Apr 12, 2001
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Macworld reports that Apple has made a change to its Mac App Store providing warnings to users attempting to purchase apps that are already installed on their computers but purchased from outside the Mac App Store. The warning says:
[App name] is already installed and was not purchased from the Mac App Store

Do you want to buy [app name] again?
Click to expand...
The report notes that while Apple has yet to provide a way for users to bring their existing non-Mac App Store apps into the Mac App Store ecosystem, the step does help prevent accidental double purchases of apps in cases where users fail to realize that they have an application already installed.

As noted by The Next Web, however, the existing app and the Mac App Store must be the exact same version in order for the warning to be triggered. Consequently, users will still need to be careful to pay attention to their existing installed apps when browsing the Mac App Store.

Article Link: Mac App Store Now Offering Re-Buy Warnings for Apps Purchased Elsewhere
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/16/mac-app-store-now-offering-re-buy-warnings-for-apps-purchased-elsewhere/
I wish it would let you download it for free. I bought Aperture 3 prior to the App store and I'd like to get it linked to my Apple ID for updates, etc.
 
Being able to transfer the license from existing software to the Mac App Store would be especially useful for already bought games that still have a disc check now that Apple is moving away from optical storage.
 
One small step in the right direction.

They really ought to provide a way to import licenses though. I'm getting sick of developers transitioning to "App Store only" leaving existing customers out in the cold.
 
I would love to find a way to transfer the license but I don't know how that would be practical without Apple building some kind of elaborate infrastructure. The hardest part would be proving your license is legitimate.
 
I hope Apple moves users who bought iLife '11 on disk to the Mac App Store versions or those bought their Mac before Lion came out that came with iLife '11.

Speaking of which, I wonder if Apple will make you pay for new major versions of iLife or iWork now with the Mac App Store... I guess time will tell.
 
Well, the old model was "big price up front, cheap updates." The new way seems to be "reasonable price for every version, same price for everyone."

SO, given that, I suspect most developers (and Apple) will just hope that the problem goes away by itself over time.

I mean, yeah, I'd sure LIKE to link Aperture 3 with the app store, but by the time Aperture 4 comes out it won't matter. Everyone will have to buy it for the same price no matter what you had before. So the problem will essentially solve itself over time.

Yeah, it's a little anoying, but long-tern it doesn't matter. We'll all end up in the same place eventually (and for the same price).
 
Pumpkin King said:
I wish it would let you download it for free. I bought Aperture 3 prior to the App store and I'd like to get it linked to my Apple ID for updates, etc.
Click to expand...

yeah I hate this out of sync stuff, like my iwork or ilife. The only thing I ever regretted from a mac was iTunes (the only thing i loved from windows was Windows Media Player 9), but i liked how well itunes worked along with everything else...mail, trackpad...so wonderful.
 
What if I bought an app on my old Mini?
I went to the app store with my new Mini and why isn't there a way to re-download the app for my new machine?
 
Internet Explorer is already installed and was not purchased from the Mac App Store

Do you want to switch to Safari?

Yes Hell yeah mmmm Give me Chrome
 
Wish Aperture and iLife would transfer over, too

accessoriesguy said:
yeah I hate this out of sync stuff, like my iwork or ilife. The only thing I ever regretted from a mac was iTunes (the only thing i loved from windows was Windows Media Player 9), but i liked how well itunes worked along with everything else...mail, trackpad...so wonderful.
Click to expand...

I am actually really surprised by this. Apple is usually so good at recognizing prior purchases, I am shocked that their own software doesn't do this. I have the same issue with Aperture 3 and iLife. Seems odd that the app store won't recognize them.
 
Paying for the same software twice
just because the developer had to "update it" to make it "app store compliant"

yeah right.
 
steve333 said:
What if I bought an app on my old Mini?
I went to the app store with my new Mini and why isn't there a way to re-download the app for my new machine?
Click to expand...

I've found apps/songs purchased on different machines in my 'purchased' sections of iTunes and the App store. As long as you used the same iTunes/MAC account.
 
itickings said:
They really ought to provide a way to import licenses though. I'm getting sick of developers transitioning to "App Store only" leaving existing customers out in the cold.
Click to expand...

+1. That happened to me, too, for Pixelmator app. They promised a free 2.0 upgrade long before they announced that they are planning to sell it via MAS instead. Talking about false promises. Now I purchased again thru MAS ($29) and they were going to release v2 in the summer, nothing happened. Again, false promises. Don't really care tho. lol
 
oiuh151 said:
Speaking of which, I wonder if Apple will make you pay for new major versions of iLife or iWork now with the Mac App Store... I guess time will tell.
Click to expand...

I thought Apple always did make you purchase new major version upgrades.

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iiiGerardoiii said:
who the hell wants to buy *any app* again?? :S
Click to expand...

So, you expect software engineers to work their butts off making the software better for free? Do you want to work for free?
 
I'm not sure if 'free downloads of apps I already have' would work; certainly not for all apps.

When you buy & download an app from a website, the license is typically for just one Mac, and is priced accordingly. When you buy an app from the MAS, the license is for any Mac associated with your account, and is priced accordingly. If you buy an app from a website, and then could 'import' it into MAS; you're getting a multiple Mac license for single-Mac license pricing.

It might not be an issue for every app, but could be for some.
 
Linux have two comands that we update all the software installed and a "free app store" for years... nothing real new..

"apt-get update"
"apt-get upgrade" this can be made on gui
 
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